Apparatus for igniting a torch



Sept, 4, 19 2 c. J. WHEELER APPARATUS FOR IGNITING A TORCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 7, 1958 FIG.

FIG. 2

INVENTOR CHARLES J. WHEELER cTW ATTORNEY Sept. 4, 1962 c. J. WHEELER 3,052,112

APPARATUS FOR IGNITING A TORCH Filed July 7, 195a 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR CHARLES J. WHEELER BY QTW ATTO R N EY 3,052,112 APPARATUS FOR IGNITING A TORCH Charles J. Wheeler, Mentor, Ohio, assignor of one-half to Pyle & Fisher, Cleveland, Ohio, a partnership Filed July 7, 1958, Ser. No. 746,356 Claims. (Cl. 67-20.1)

This invention relates to a new and improved lighter for a gas torch such as a cutting or welding torch.

Various types of gas torches, e.g., oxy-acetylene torches, adapted for metal cutting and/ or welding are well known and are widely used. Such torches generally use a liquid or gaseous fuel projected from the burner tip mixed with air and/ or oxygen. In using such a torch in welding or cutting operations, it generally is necessary repeatedly to turn off the torch and to relight it.

Accordingly, since it often is impracticable, dangerous, or undesirable to use matches or to maintain a source of open flame to light the torch, considerable effort heretofore has been directed to the development of various types of lighting devices which can be used to light the torch. Perhaps the most common type of prior torch lighter is a hand held wire spring, pyrophoric type lighter. Squeezing together the ends of a typically U-shaped spring of such a lighter generates sparks by rubbing together a pyrophoric element and an abrasive surface. However, although widely used up to this time, such devices are easily misplaced and often are susceptible to malfunction or inoperability through loss of spring resiliency or misalignment of the igniting elements.

Another prior art proposal employs a small pyrophoric element clamped or otherwise fixedly mounted directly on the burner tip of a gas torch. However, while such a device is not subject to rnisplacement as is a hand held lighter, it does present the problem of restricting the use of the torch in cramped quarters and is subject to bending damage or breakage in the normal movements of the torch in use. Moreover, since the size and shape of burner tips vary considerably, it is generally diflicult or impossible to provide such a device which can be used interchangeably with different torches and burner tips.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of this invention to provide a new and improved torch lighter which avoids the problems heretofore encountered.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a gas torch lighter which is readily secured to the body of the torch, is easily operated, and is automatically moved out of an operative position when not in use.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description thereof.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating a lighter of this invention in an operative position on a gas torch;

FIG. 2 is a view, partially in section, showing one manner of securing the lighter to the torch as indicated in FIG. 1, the lighter being illustrated in an inoperative position away from the burner tip;

FIG. 3 is a view, similar to FIG. 2, illustrating another manner of mounting the lighter on the torch;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of another embodiment of a lighter element of this invention; and

FIG. 5 is an elevational view, partially in section, of the lighter element shown in FIG. 4.

Broadly, the gas torch lighter of the present invention comprises, in combination, a hollow housing provided with means for directing a combustible fluid, e.g., a mixture of acetylene or other fuel with air or oxygen, therethrough away from the burner tip under the momentum generated in passing through the burner tip toward a lighting device f Ff:

Patented Sept. 4, 1962 2 secured to said housing and operatively communicating with the interior of said housing. The invention also comprises the combination of such a lighter and a gas torch, the lighter being pivotally connected to the torch and normally resiliently biased away from the burner tip.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, as shown in FIG. 1 the present invention provides a new and improved gas torch lighter indicated generally at 10, secured to a torch designated generally by the numeral 12 and comprising a burner tip 14 secured to a conventional burner head 20 with gas and oxygen supply pipes 16 and 18 secured thereto.

The lighter 10 comprises a hollow housing, preferably a tubular element 22 which can be formed of metallic tubing, e.g., A" 1D. copper tubing, pressed out of sheet metal and formed into a hollow elongated shape, or otherwise prepared from various materials. The tubular element 22 is pivotally secured to the torch 12 by an inverted U- shaped clamp 24 disposed around the torch supply pipes 16 and 18, and carrying between and through its free ends 17 and 19, a pin or shaft 26, generally a bolt or machine screw threadedly engaged therein as indicated, which extends through the tubular element 22 adjacent one end.

The other end of the tubular element 22 terminates in a gas deflector comprising a curved element 28 adapted, when the lighter is in an operative position, to cup over the end 29 of the burner tip and thereby direct the issuing combustible fluid mixture away from the burner tip through the hollow housing 22 toward a lighting device designated generally at 30 mounted thereon.

The lighting device 30 typically and preferably comprises a small wheel 32 generally having a roughened circumferential surface 33, journalled on a transverse pin or shaft 34 on the tubular housing and so mounted that a portion of the wheel extends into the interior of the hollow housing through a rectangular opening 35. Operatively in contact with the wheel surface 33 is a pyrophoric element or so-called flint 36 comprising a material such as ferrocerium. The flint is resiliently biased against the surface 33 and held in a proper alignment therewith by a tubular element 38 containing a spring (not shown) retained and pressure applied by a threadedly engaged adjusting screw 42.

The lighter is normally biased away from the burner tip by a spring 44 disposed around the pin or shaft 26. Thus, it will be appreciated that the entire lighter assembly normally is out of the way yet readily moved into an operative position simply by pressing it toward the lighter end 27 in the direction of the burner tip through the are 46. The dimensions of the lighter can be varied. However, it will be appreciated that an advantage of this invention is that one lighter can be used with different torches since the clamp 24- can be positioned on the torch at a distance from the burner tip dictated by the length of the tubular element and the dimensions of the burner tip. Thus, various types and sizes of burner tips can be accommodated with one lighter of this invention.

In another embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 3, the clamp 24 can be replaced by an Hshaped element 5% provided with a set screw 52 adapted to grip the lower of the gas or oxygen tube 18. The lighter 22 is of the same type as element 22 and is supported pivotally by a pin 26 as in FIG. 2.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate another embodimnet of the invention wherein a hollow housing 54 is provided with a curved gas deflector 56 at one end and adjacent the opposite end has a transverse opening 58 to receive a pin such as pin 26 as shown in FIG. 1 in mounting the housing 54 on a gas torch. The housing 54 carries a lighting device comprising a wheel 6% journalled on a transverse pin 62 whereby less than half of the wheel 60 extends into the housing through an opening 64. Resiliently biased in contact with the periphery of wheel 60 is a pyrophoric element or flint 66 supported by a housing 68 secured to the outside of the housing 54, or formed integrally therewith, the flint contacting the wheel 60 in a manner to direct generated sparks into the hollow housing 54 therebyto ignite the fuel deflected thereinto. Within the housing 68 is provided a tube 69 containing the flint 66, a spring 70 and an adjusting screw 71.

In the various embodiments of the lighter there is shown at least one opening in the hollow or tubular housing adjacent the lighting device. In many instances, it is desirable that there be provided at least one opening through the wall of the hollow housing generally diametrically opposite or adjacent the lighting device, e.g., opening 45 in FIG. 1 and opening 59 in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Referring to FIG. 1, in operation, the lighter 10 is pivoted through the are 46 to the burner tip as shown. While held in this position, the gas-oxygen mixture or other combustible fuel is passed through the burner tip and deflected therefrom into the tubular element 22 toward the lighting device 30. To light the torch, the wheel 32 is rotated sharply to generate a spark from the pyrophoric element 36 into the interior of the tubular element 22. Fuel thus ignited serves to light the gaseous fuel issuing from the burner tip.

While there have been described various embodiments of the invention, the apparatus described is not intended to limit the scope of the invention as it is realized that changes therewithin are possible, and it is further intended that each element recited in any of the following claims is to be understood as referring to all equivalent elements for accomplishing substantially the same results in substantially the same or equivalent manner, it being intended to cover the invention broadly in whatever form its principle may be utilized.

What is claimed is:

1. An igniter comprising a housing having an inner cavity, the housing having walls defining spaced inlet and ignition openings to the cavity, a deflector secured to the housing adjacent the inlet and extending angularly across the inlet to divert a flow of combustible gas into said housing, an igniter connected to said housing and positioned adjacent said ignition opening, said igniter including flame initiating means communicating with said housing chamber through said ignition opening, a mounting bracket pivotally connected to the housing for mounting the housing on a torch or the like, and biasing means connected to the bracket and the housing and urging relative rotation of the two in one direction about the pivot. 2. The device of claim 1 wherein the ignitor includes a flint, a spark ignition wheel and a spring biasing the flint against the Wheel, wherein the flint and spring are positioned between the wheel and the housing inlet and wherein the wheel projects through the ignition opening. 3. In combination with a torch for emitting a stream of combustible gases from an outlet tip to an ignitor comprising, a bracket secured to the torch and spaced from the tip outlet, a hollow housing pivotally carried by the bracket and pivotal from a storage position to an ignition position, a spring biasing the housing toward the storage position, said housing having an inlet and a deflector cup adjacent the inlet, the cup being positioned across the tip outlet when the housing is in the ignition position, the housing having an ignition aperture, a flint and a wheel assembly secured to the housing and spaced from the cup, and the flint and wheel being positioned to direct gas igniting sparks into the housing when the wheel is rotated. 4. The device of claim 3 wherein the cup and the flint and wheel are connected to the remainder of the housing along the same side thereof.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein such same side is adjacent the torch when the housing is in the storage position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,416,845 Lavigne May 23, 1922 1,685,633 Heybach Sept. 25, 1928 2,423,410 Simmons July 1, 1947 2,506,114 Sparks May 2, 1950 2,836,036 Drage May 27, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 429,851 Great Britain June 7, 1935 800,226 Germany Oct. 17, 1950 

